Fresh Direct has appeared in my part of the world

[gfweb]

Any experience with them? Meat and fish OK? Produce decent? I'd love to have an alternative to the hideous Acme market I have to deal with.

[KennethT]

Here in NY, I've been using Fresh Direct for years. In general, I find them pretty good. I think they're produce quality was a bit better when they first started years ago, but it's still pretty good - especially if they have a higher star rating. Their produce, meat and fish are definitely better than the local supermarkets, but that's not saying much. I still prefer going to a specialty supermarket, like Fairway here, or a dedicated butcher or fish monger, but short of that, I'd recommend them.

[Arey]

Any experience with them? Meat and fish OK? Produce decent? I'd love to have an alternative to the hideous Acme market I have to deal with.

In the part of NJ I live in the ACME is the closest thing to an upscale supermarket. Which is why I go to a separate butcher shop, fish monger, produce shop, and cheese shop. I just got done browsing the FreshDirect web site and stopped the second time I said "Stop torturing yourself" to myself. I was wondering about the produce. How can you be sure they won't send you something that you wouldn't have selected yourself if shopping locally. I takes me forever to pick out Brussels sprouts and I always look for a zucchini that's aesthetically pleasing and hasn't led a hard life ,and green beans that are still crisp, and can't be bent so the two ends can be touched to each other without snapping.

[gfweb]

This is what I was wondering myself. I've been told that meat and fish are pretty good....better than hideous Acme

[KennethT]

When they first started, they were very good at providing produce you'd pick yourself, even if you were picky. As time has gone by, they're a little less selective, but overall, the produce is still pretty decent. They've also instituted a star rating system, which is a pretty good indicator of overall quality. Some things they repackage in bags depending on what you want, whereas others come prepackaged from the producer... Like ginger, some mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts.

Also, if something comes in that's damaged, or not to your liking, you just send them an email and they take off the charge immediately. They're very good about that.

Edited February 2, 2014 by KennethT (log)

[Holly Moore]

I use Fresh Direct for beef and other meats, usually their USDA prime steaks, Pat Lafrieda ground beef and US lamb. All very good. You can specify steak thickness, larding / tie on roasts and normal or film packaging.

I also get Junior's Cheesecake and D'Aragnan country pate. Then a few groceries to get it up to the lowest delivery charge.

Their baked goods are mediocre. The only prepared food I tried was their chicken pot pie, which had chopped or ground chicken rather than chunks and was pretty much inedible. Nice top crust though. I complained by email and received a credit though they never answered if that is the way it normally comes or if I was unlucky and received the end of the production run.

They have first time customer offers between $25 and $50 off a fairly sizable order. Follow them on Twitter for announcements. Delivery times are spot on. Great delivery driver. Everything comes in cardboard cartons, the larger boxes have dividers.

I order from them twice a month. Mainly because of their beef and other meat.

[weinoo]

I have never used any delivery services for grocery shopping, but the times they are a changin'.

 

I'm in the throes of recovering from some fairly intense surgery (not intense in a life-threatening sort of way, but intense in other ways, like it fucking hurts), and my recovery precludes me from driving (not necessarily a problem) and lifting/schlepping anything over "x" number of pounds.  So my beloved trips to the USQ green market, or out to Sheepshead Bay to Net Cost market, or to somewhere in Queens or NJ to H Mart, and dragging 30 to 40 lbs. of groceries/produce up to my apartment, are out for a while. Fortunately, the recovery has not stopped us from going out to dinner practically nightly.

 

Enter Fresh Direct, and my thoughts of signing up. The have product like Poulet Rouge, a favorite bird of mine.  And their prices for many items certainly seem in line with the places I generally shop at. 

 

They have various iterations of a "delivery pass," which would allow me to schedule deliveries on certain days of the week, at practically $0 delivery cost.

 

I've heard from 2 or 3 friends who use it that it's very, very time saving and convenient, and that much of the product (fresh stuff) is actually of good quality.  On-line they even show a produce delivery box from a CSA, that you can order or not, without signing up for a whole season's worth.

 

So, other than the above, anyone here use it regularly? If so, whaddya think these days?

 

I noticed they had Wild Alaskan king salmon at $25, which is about 40% off the price other sellers.  And certain other fresh items (meats, seafood, poultry) have prices that easily match or are better than I pay at other places.

 

ETA: Thank god for the World Cup and today the start of the Tour de France, which while they haven't eased the recovery process, certainly help to pass some time.

Edited July 7, 2018 by weinoo (log)

[SLB]

I think the FD meat is good, and the fish is excellent -- better than at my Fairway (the Harlem location).

 

The produce has not been a hit for me, and I can't really recommend it.  The notable exception is tomatoes, which have been uniformly fine.  But I've gotten soft potatoes from them before!  And almost every green or herb I've ever purchased has been wilted.  I am not bothered all that much in concept by wilted herbs, or even wilted greens that are going to be cooked.  But wilted lettuce drives me crazy, even though sometimes it can be revived a little bit.  And nothing wilted is supposed to cost what it costs at Fresh Direct.  Wilted edibles are supposed to come at a discount.  

 

I really enjoy grocery shopping, though, and I live in NYC where it can be really very interesting.  So I only use FD for specific purposes -- once when I was sick, otherwise when I just can't make the time to haul to the store(s), etc.  And once I've committed to ordering, then I go to town and get cases of beer and some table wine and a boatload of q-tonic and enough LaCroix to last for the whole summer . . . .  I live up five flights of stairs, so anything that is a pain for me, once I've signed on for a delivery with them, they bring it.  And yes, there are cases of LaCroix in my living room.  Behind the couch.  

 

ETA:  Sorry for your woes, Weinoo, wishing you a speedy recovery.  That thing they say about not lifting . . . well, I don't know what happened with you, but I do know that this proscription is usually meant to be taken seriously.  Take good care, have fun in the world of delivery.  And don't sleep on Instacart, or hiring a Taskrabbit to go pick up your stuff at your appointed vendors.  

Edited July 7, 2018 by SLB (log)

[weinoo]

Thanks, @SLB.  Fortunately, we're no longer in a 4th floor walkup!  I could see using Fresh Direct the same way you have, however; lots of the heavier groceries, and I certainly would try certain seafood/meat/poultry at least once, to see how it is.

 

Re: my surgery.  I had a 2-level ACDF done, at C5-C7. Not wearing a collar, my doctor is kind of progressive and feels patients do better without one. The fusion takes about a year to be fully fused. I'm sure the carrying/lifting proscription is to allow things to really settle down, and for the fusion to at least start happening.  I started PT this past Monday, a mere 4 days post-surgery, but just working on arm/shoulder flexibility and strength; nothing with the neck just yet. 

[SLB]

Wow on the no-collar.  I like .  My brother had a similar surgery last autumn at c4-7, but the issue was severe stenosis.  He was sullen about the no bending/lifting/twisting thing.  The physical therapists were, in my view, geniuses.  

 

But anyway.  Yes to food delivery, it'll be an adventure.  And yes to the World Cup.  

[weinoo]

Wow - 3 level must've been intense! I'm looking somewhat forward to food and grocery delivery - if I only could get them to unpack my stuff when they get here!

 

Where'd he go for PT?

[SLB]

He lives where we're from, in Denver.  Somewhere there!

 

On the unpacking:  that's the beauty of the TaskRabbit hire:  you design the specific scope of the task.

Edited July 8, 2018 by SLB (log)

[KennethT]

We use Fresh Direct practically every week. The're great for bulky heavy things, but their meat/seafood is good too.  I usually like to pick my own fish, but if we're strapped for time, FD is our go to.  My wife gets a few pounds of red potatoes from FD every week and rarely has a problem.

 

One graet thing about them is that if you have a problem with your delivery - anything at all - they will basically immediately credit you for it once you contact them. They're great to deal with when there's a problem.